Izuchukwu Okosi
Manchester United on Sunday defeated Newcastle United 2-0 to lift the 2023 Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United at a packed Wembley stadium.
Saint Maximin had the first real chance of the game to put Newcastle United Ahead after he dribbled past Diogo Dalot on the byline but fired his shot straight to the arms of David de Gea who batted the ball away.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelFirst-half goals from star midfielder Casemiro and the unstoppable Marcus Rashford, with the help of a heavy deflection off Sven Botman, broke Newcastle United’s hearts.
United have thus won their first trophy since 2017 when they won the Europa League with Jose Mourinho in charge of the team but will have earned just £100,000 in prize money for their endeavours with Eddie Howe’s team banking only £50,000 for their efforts.
That will barely cover half a week’s wage for one of their highest earners as the secondary domestic knockout competition’s financial value was placed in stark contrast with what can be banked elsewhere.
But the clubs will at least have split the gate receipts at Wembley, where 87,306 fans had been in attendance.
Nottingham Forest and Southampton, who lost the two-legged semi-finals, made £25,000 each.
Every other participant, including the four beaten quarter-finalists, failed to make a penny in prize money – though the same approach to gate receipts exists across all rounds.
The competition’s lack of financial value is put into even greater context by what both finalists will make if they seal top-four finishes in the league.
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Reaching the Champions League is worth more than £50m before a ball is kicked and without factoring in UEFA’s solidarity payments from their broadcasting pool.
The win means Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has wasted no time in guiding the club to silverware just 10 months after being hired.
Casemiro’s opener came somewhat against the run of play as the team in red started slowly, but his side assumed control before the break as Marcus Rashford’s shot deflected in off the unfortunate Botman.
Newcastle faded following a positive start as United kept them at arm’s length.
United went close to a third as first Rashford and then Bruno Fernandes forced Loris Karius into smart stops, but it mattered little as United stood firm.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
